A prominent chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has once again stirred political debate in Bayelsa State by reiterating his position that the people of Bayelsa West Senatorial District should completely set aside any governorship aspirations ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The National Publicity Secretary of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (Phase 3), who also serves as the Financial Secretary of the APC in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area Ward 13, Chief Gen. Inko Brightstar — widely known in political circles as WhoKnows Tomorrow — issued this cautionary statement while addressing journalists and political stakeholders.
In his address, Chief WhoKnows Tomorrow called on the Honourable Minister of State for Petroleum (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, as well as other political heavyweights from Bayelsa West who may be warming up to contest the 2027 governorship election, to “immediately reconsider and abandon their ambitions” in the interest of political justice, equity, and the preservation of a long-standing rotational zoning arrangement.
According to him, Bayelsa’s political stability and unity can only be maintained if the gentleman’s zoning agreement — which ensures a fair distribution of the governorship seat among the three senatorial districts — is strictly adhered to. He maintained that it is now the legitimate turn of Bayelsa East Senatorial District to produce the next governor of the state.
“Let us remind ourselves of the historical sequence,” he explained. “The first democratically elected governor of Bayelsa State, Chief DSP Alamieyeseigha of blessed memory, hailed from Bayelsa Central and served the people for over six years before his unfortunate impeachment. His then deputy, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan from Bayelsa East, completed the remaining period of that tenure. In 2007, Chief Timipre Marlin Sylva, also from Bayelsa East, was elected governor. Although his first election was nullified following a legal challenge by Mr. Ebitimi Amgbare of the Action Congress (AC), Sylva emerged victorious again in the 2008 re-run election and started afresh.”
Chief WhoKnows Tomorrow emphasized that, going by this political timeline, Bayelsa East has been unfairly sidelined in the recent power rotation, particularly when compared with the number of years Bayelsa West and Central have occupied the seat.
“We in the Niger Delta often cry out about marginalization and the unfair treatment we receive from the Nigerian federal government,” he noted. “However, it is ironic and shameful that we are quietly practicing the very same brand of political injustice within our own small Bayelsa State. Barely six years have passed since Senator Henry Seriake Dickson from Bayelsa West completed his constitutionally allowed two terms as governor. For anyone from that same district to even contemplate contesting again so soon would not only be politically insensitive but would also be interpreted as sheer greed and an unquenchable thirst for power.”
The APC chieftain further warned that ignoring the zoning principle would heighten political tension, alienate certain sections of the state, and deepen the feeling of exclusion among communities in Bayelsa East. He therefore urged political stakeholders to demonstrate maturity and patriotism by supporting the East’s legitimate claim to the 2027 governorship slot.
“Politics should be about fairness, equity, and the unity of our people — not about selfish ambition or the endless recycling of power within a particular region,” he stressed. “For the sake of justice and harmony, Bayelsa West should stand down in 2027 and allow Bayelsa East to take its rightful turn in leading the state.”
With this renewed call, Chief WhoKnows Tomorrow has once again positioned himself at the forefront of the zoning debate in Bayelsa State, setting the stage for what promises to be a heated political season as the 2027 elections draw nearer.
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